Wrench.



- M. B. 'LA YNE & s. N. HALL. WBENGH. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFTQE.

MAHLON E; LAYNE AND SAMUEL N. HALL, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed July 30, 1906. Serial No. 328,497.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAL-ILoN E. LAYNE and SAMUEL N.I-IALL, citizens of the'United States, residing atv Houston, in the county of Harris'and' State of Texas, have invented new and usefulImprovements in renches, of which the following is a specification.

This, invention relates to wrenches commonly known as pipe tongs andwhich in clude a chain to embrace the work. v

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of handle, jaw andchain whereby the jaw and handle are brought asnear as -possible into a straight line for the purpose of more effectually balancing the wrench when held in the hand.

Another object of the inventionis to have the strain on the free end of'the chain come pointed out in theappended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details may be made, within the scope-of the claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation. of a wrench embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the chain being omitted. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the wrench. V Fig. 4: is an edge view of oneof the jaw plates. Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the jaw plates looking at the inner face thereof. Fig. 6 is a view showing oneside and the top of the swinging link for anchoring one end of the chain.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each of the figures of the drawing.

The handle 1 of the present wrench is straight for the greater part of its length, and has its forward extremity or head 2 set at an angle of about 45 to the longitudinal axis of the handle. Just in rear of the head, the handle is reduced in thickness and increased in width, as at 3, the increase in width being entirely at what will be termed the inner edge of the handle with its edge rounded or convexed, so as to fit the tegral with the jaw, while the other toothed portion, say that designated 6, consists of a separate block set into a recess 8, inthe convexed edge of the jaw and having a shoulder 9 at its inner edge against which the block rests. By preference, there is a tongue and groove connection between the block and the jaw, such as shown at 10. A. dove-tailed tongue and groove connection is preferred, as it holds the removable toothed block without extraneous fastenings, it being proposed to upset'one or both ends of the tongue to prevent the block from working sidewise out of the recess. Each jaw is centrally pierced by an opening 11, to register with an opening in the deflected end of the handle for the reception of a bolt or other fastening 12, to hold the jaws to the handle. The inner face of eachj aw is provided with a seat or recess 13, disposed at an angle of about 4-5 to the working face or edge of the jaw for the reception of the deflected end of the handle.

The chain 14 has its pivot pins projected at each side of the chain, as at 15, to form studs or projections for individual engagement with the respective jaws to adjust the active length of the chain. One end of the chain has a terminal. link 16, provided at its outer endwith a cylindrical cross-head 17, the ends of which are reduced to provide studs or pro ectlons 18, designed to be received within appropriate sockets or recesses 19 formed in the inner sides of the two jaws so as to pivotally assemble the link with the jaws. The free end of the chain is adapted to pass between the other ends of the jaws and have any pair of studs or projections 15 engaged with notches or seats 20 formed in those straight edges of the jaws which are opposite the link 16.

In practice, the work, say a pipe as shown at 21 is first received within the work-receiving seat or recess 7 and then the chain is passed around the work and engaged with the notches or seats 20 of the jaws, after which the work is permitted to move transversely across the seat 7 to one of the toothed portions of the jaws, whereupon the work will become wedged between the said jaw portion and the chain and will be compelled to turn with the wrench. i

A very important advantage of the present invention will be appreciated by reference to Fig. l of the drawing, from which it vill be seen that the chain bears against the forward end of the handle, wherefore the strain upon the free end of the chain will be applied directly to the handle rather than to the jaws, thereby to materially strengthen the wrench and increase the life thereof.

It will here be stated that the seats 20 and the pivotal connection between the llllK 1(3 and the jaws are located at equal distances at opposite sides of the center of the jaws which is the point of connection between the jaws and the deflected end of the handle. By this arrangement, the work will bind upon each toothed portion or working face of the aw, and consequently the wrench will work in opposite directions.

Concerning the flattening or increasing the width of the handle, as at 3, it will here be explained that, in using the wrench, the palm of the hand is placed against the inner or convexed edge of the enlarged portion whereby the point of support of the wrench, when used upon vertical work, is substantially in line with the inner edge of the widened portion of the handle and the belt which secures the jaw plates to the handle, which line passes through the center of gravity of the wrench, and consequently the weight of the handle is upon one side of this line and the weight of the chain and portions of the jaws are upon the other side of the line, whereby the wrench is balanced and prevents twisting thereof in the hand.

li hile it has heretofore been stated that the deflected end of the handle is set at an angle of about 45 of the major portion of the handle, it will here be explained that the angular disposition of the deflected end of the handle is really determined by the general plane of the toothed edges of the jaws, that is to say, the inner face of each plate is provided with a socket 22 disposed substantially at an angle of n to said plane of the teeth, and the deflected end of the handle is received within the sockets of the two plates.

In connection with the engagement of the free end portion of the chain with the forward end of the handle, it will be noted that the studs which are engaged with the notches 20 are relieved from strains to a considerable extent.

Instead of having the stud l8 shouldered, as shown in Fig. (3, we contemplate having it of the same diameter throughout its length and integral with the link. Moreover, as shown the stud should be llush with the adjacent extremity of the link, thereby to bring the cmmection between the link and the jaws as far as possible from the working faces of the jaws.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A wrench comprising a handle and a pair of jaw plates embracing and secured to one end of the handle and provided with oppositely acting faces located at one and the same side of the handle, said handle being flattened and extended laterally in rear of the jaw plates and upon the same side of the handle as the oppositely acting faces, to form a hand grip.

A wrench comprising a handle, a pair of jaw plates embracing and secured to one end of the handle and provided with oppositely acting faces at one and the same side of the handle, and a chain to cooperate with the jaw faces with one end secured to and between corresponding ends of the plates and its free end having a detachable engagement with and between the other corresponding ends of the plates, the handle being flattened and extended lalerall in rear of the jaw plates and upon the same side of the handle as the oppositely acting faces, to form a hand grip.

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAllLON l l. LAYNIQ. l \Vitnesses LULA E. GAnnNnR, R. D. S'rnnLn.

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